


Clocktower Confessions

by NinjaSalad



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: ADHD, ADHD Character, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Gender Neutral Character, Gratuitous Use of A Catchphrase, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, Keyblade Wielder, Keyblade Wielder Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Light Angst, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, Sea Salt Ice Cream, Trans Character, Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts), Twilight Town Clocktower, rsd, they/them pronouns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21622396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinjaSalad/pseuds/NinjaSalad
Summary: “Hey, Lea? Do you ever feel like you're just…different?“Lea bites into his sea salt ice cream thoughtfully.“I mean, sometimes, I guess?”————————Once in a while you just gotta eat ice cream with your best friend and have a heart to heart about gender.
Relationships: Lea (Kingdom Hearts) & Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Clocktower Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in like 6 hours lmao

The sun is a hue of reds, yellows, and pinks setting across the horizon in Twilight Town, as it always has, and always will.

Two figures are atop the quaint cityscape’s radiant clocktower. The smaller one is sat flush with the stone of the tower, further away from the edge than the taller figure; who is in the midst of gently knocking his heels against the clock’s face in a repetitive motion. Both beings are eating a cold, light blue treat unique to this world.

The person sitting against the wall moves their gaze skywards, staring into the red-and-pink clouds above them. They take their frozen snack out of their mouth, along with a deep breath. “Hey, Lea? Do you ever feel like you're just…different?“

Lea bites into his sea salt ice cream thoughtfully.

“I mean, sometimes, I guess?” The redhead looks over his shoulder, seeing the scrunched up visage of his friend; curled into a ball, one arm holding their knees. “What exactly do you mean by that?” he smirks playfully, with a slight hint of concern coloring his tone and jade green peepers.

The usually boisterous—but now subdued—young adult meets Lea’s eyes before glancing away towards the sunset, squinting their own at the soft yet bright light emanating from the warm star. “Um…” they trail off, munching on the ice cream the keyblade wielder in front of them buys specially for his family and friends.

“C’mon, we’re best friends; you can tell me anything!” Lea whines, trying to wheedle the information out of them. He pulls a silly face, hoping to lighten their dour mood at least a bit. Unfortunately, they aren’t looking at him, so he drops his expression to a look of troubled confusion. “…Hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’ll always be here for you; got it memorized?” The ginger taps the side of his head, a smirk growing back on his face.

At that his friend _finally_ looks over at him; a somber smile settling into place. “Thanks, Lea. I really appreciate it.” They take another bite of the frigid dairy confection, almost finished with it at this point.

Lea’s smirk widens into a grin as he takes the final bite of his ice cream and glances at the popsicle stick— _another loss, oh well._ His gaze then flickers sneakily back to his friend, waiting patiently for them to finish their own frozen delight.

A minute passes in placid silence. The sounds of birds crowing echoes up to reach the top of the tower; the breeze rustling the fabric of his and their clothes. And, if one listens closely enough, one could hear the shouts of joy from the Struggle tournament currently happening in the square.

His friend takes their penultimate bite, which in turn makes the ultimate fall off the stick and into their awaiting hand, placed underneath the ice cream for just this exact purpose. They lift up the last bite and pop it into their mouth, but Lea’s excited yelling makes them almost spit it out in surprise.

“You won! You won!! _You won!!!_ ” The over-exuberant wielder stands up from the edge, jumping down and lifting the shorter wielder up into a hug and spinning the both of them around while laughing heartily.

“Gwuh?!” Lea’s captive prisoner gurgles; a trickle of melted salty-sweet liquid dribbling out of their mouth and onto his shoulder. They smush the piece in their mouth enough to swallow it without choking, and grab Lea’s shoulder to steady themself, keeping their ice cream-coated one away from his nice outfit. The redhead’s face is pushed into their tummy, and he’s _still_ spinning around like a fiery-tornado of pure joy.

“Lea— _OhMyYenSidWe’reSoCloseToTheEdgePleasePutMe **Down**_ —“ They shout, trembling within the confines of his arms. Their other hand shoots up to grasp the ginger’s brightly colored locks out of pure panic when they start tipping backwards, but Lea just moves one arm up higher and places it on their upper back; still laughing loudly and happily.

Until suddenly, all motion stops. Lea looks up at his friend; one brow scrunched in and the other raised incredulously. “Did you just put your sticky, ice cream-covered hand in my hair?

They sputter for a moment, trying to gather their thoughts into something semi-coherent. “What was I supposed to do? I could’ve fallen off this tall-ass clocktower!” They smack Lea on the shoulder, rolling their tongue to make a growling sound in their anger.

Lea doesn’t seem to notice that he has been hit, or at least decides not to acknowledge it.

“You wouldn’t: I’d make sure of it! And hey, even if you _did_ —not that it’d _ever_ happen on my watch—you could transform your keyblade into a flying thingy _waaay_ before hitting the ground,” he assures, gently setting down his friend back on solid ground, along with a pat on the shoulder and a grin. Lea then reaches up into his hair, trying to wipe the sugary-sweet-and-salty liquid out of it, and generally failing in his endeavor.

His friend just hugs themself, and has a staring contest with the bricks beneath them. They puff out their cheeks in a pout; minute shivers wracking their frame.

Lea blinks in surprise at the tears beading up in the corners of their eyes, making him freeze up in shock. He’s…never seen them cry before.  
He wipes his hands on his pants, getting most of the melted ice cream off onto the magical stain-resistant fabric. He’s gotta remember to tell Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather that Sea Salt Ice Cream sticks to it. 

“Uh…sorry, for scaring you. I didn’t think…” Lea looks at the ground and nods awkwardly to himself. “Yeah, I just didn’t think.” He lifts his gaze back to his friend, but they’ve turned their own eyes toward the sunset. He takes a page out of their book and does so as well.

“It’s not that, Lea.” They sniff, and blink away the salty water flooding their eyes. “I know you said I could tell you anything, and I trust you completely, but I’m just kinda _terrified_ in general, y’know?” They turn their head toward their best friend with a broken smile; twin droplets leaving behind tracks as they run down the wielder’s cheeks, lit up golden by the burning ball of light along the horizon.

Lea stares, his own vision welling up in sympathy: seeing them hurt, hurts him as well.

The broken smile on their face crumples. “And–and I don’t want to ruin our friendship, and I _know_ that’s a silly thought, but I’m just _so scared_ and I just don’t know what to _do!_ ” Their voice cracks midway as tears begin to fall in earnest. Sobs and hiccups litter their speech, and they curl forwards, as if trying to keep themself together through the pain that’s tearing them apart.

Lea surges forward, pulling them into his arms in a fierce embrace. One hand comes up to cradle their head, the other wraps around their back and grips their shoulder. “I’m right here, you’re safe, and I’m _never_ going to abandon you; Got it memorized?” His own voice fractures on his catchphrase.

Two figures stand atop the quaint cityscape’s radiant clocktower. The smaller one is held within the arms of their best friend, comforted by his willingness to stay and understand. The taller figure, who is holding the smaller one, is gently swaying side to side. Both beings are crying in earnest.

Lea and his friend grip each other tightly. Both wielder’s breathing slowly calming down; lingering tears dripping off chins onto the brickwork beneath them.

They snuggle closer to Lea’s chest, rubbing their face on him like a cat. “…Mhnbyh mymrh…” 

“Wh–wha’?” Lea hiccups with a sniffle.

“…Keyblade Glider…” they mumble, taking a deep breath. “I’m like, ninety-percent sure that it’s called a ‘Keyblade Glider.’”

Lea is silent for a moment, before his chest starts convulsing and his shoulders begin to shake. He throws his head back, laughing so hard he’s crying again. His best friend joins in, until both of them are holding onto the other just to stay upright.

Finally calming down, they take a deep breath to steady themself. “I’m trans.”

The next moment is hushed. The only sound is of the breeze winding its way through the clocktower. Though that too, fades into silence.

“Whoa, no way! Me too!” Lea slaps a hand to his chest, ecstatic beyond belief. 

“Wait, really?!” They double-take, eyes wide in wonderment.

“Yup!” Lea yips happily. “I transitioned really young; around the time I met Ventus! Y’know, back when we were the same age,” he scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. “It’s so strange: being all grown up, and yet someone you knew from your childhood is still a preteen…” He looks up at the sky wistfully, and then spins to face them, expression suddenly serious and yet… _soft._

Lea gently but firmly puts his hands on their shoulders, looking them directly in between their eyes. “You’re so brave and so strong, and I’m super proud of you for telling me.” He hugs them once again, letting them hear the truth in his voice.

They stand there, absorbing the warmth from his hug and words. “…Hold on, I’m your best friend? What about Xion, and Roxas?” The shorter wielder steps back, wiping away the remaining tears from their face. “And Isa?”

“What, like it’s illegal to have more than three best friends?” Lea smirks, placing a hand on their head and playfully mussing up their hair.

They bat at his arm, giggling and jumping up to muss _his_ hair too, but he bats their hand away as well. Like a deluge of cold water they remember where they are, and realize that jumping up and down in joy is a big _no-no_ right now.

“Hey, Lea? Could we _please_ get down from here? It’s kinda…” They trail off, trying to find the right word.

Lea slings a soft smile their way. “Kinda ‘terrifying’?”

They huff a laugh, grinning back at him. “Yeah, exactly.”

They reach out and grab Lea’s hand, tugging on it as they make their way to the staircase inside the clocktower.

“Maybe we can find a hangout spot that isn’t over fifty feet tall?” They ask, side-eyeing their redheaded thrill-seeker.

“I think I can work with that,” Lea sheepishly grins, a hand coming up to scratch at a teardrop-less cheek.

They’re ensuing grin is bright as the sunset behind them. “Great! Now how about we try one of _my_ favorite treats? And this time, I’m buying!”

Lea’s fond smile is hidden as his easily excitable best friend is focused on not tripping down the stairs, still gripping his hand with their smaller one. He squeezes three times, letting them know just how much their friendship means to him.

“Sure thing, bud; I’ve got it memorized.”

**Author's Note:**

> it’s cold as heck and i want some sea salt ice cream pls n thank
> 
> if you enjoyed this fanfic please hit that like button and subscribe for more emotional catharsis! (i can’t promise more kh stuff but. im gay? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯)


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